animate-eu is a free resource for broadcasters and educators. This platform brings together a range of fun and exciting animation projects aimed at raising awareness among children about major global issues such as energy conservation, the environment and health. The projects are all supported by the European Commission, details of each are given by clicking on the logos below.

Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, Former European Commissioner for Energy (2005-2010)

The European Commission takes great interest in seeing how children perceive energy issues. By doing this, we can ensure that we use the right language and messages when we communicate with children about energy. By working with the youngsters of today we can help give Europe a truly sustainable energy system that is clean and provides long-term security, with energy efficiency at its heart. Cartoon animation would seem to be a good way to appeal to children both inside and outside of the classroom. I look forward to seeing the results.

April 2009

Luigi Petito, Project Architect and coordinator:

We have already carried out our first survey with the school children and their initial views on energy were very revealing. The animators have worked with this information to create characters and story lines that will fit to the children’s ideas and to current animation trends; today we are testing this on the children”.
“To communicate effectively with children, we have to speak their language. Animation works like magic, it crosses geographical boundaries and gender, age and cultural barriers. We are confident these projects are going to be a huge hit, reaching millions of European children and hopefully their parents too.

April 2009

Luigi Petito, Project Architect and coordinator:

Children can be huge drivers for change and cartoon animation is a wonderful means to help them identify with a range of important topics which are sometimes too complex for them to understand. By using comedy, adventure and letting their imaginations run wild, you can put what seem like mammoth issues into their context, this was our intention with Boo.

March 2010

Kristof Dupont, father of Belgian focus group member Lars (aged 8) and headmaster of Sint Jozefsschool (Belgium)

Ever since Lars has been involved in this project he has been fascinated by the amount of energy we consume at home and how we can find ways to save it.

April 2009

Antonia Mochan, the European Commission in the UK:

Children will be coming to these environmental issues from very different perspectives, depending on whether they are in Northern or Southern Europe, living in cities or the countryside, and also the sort of television they watch. What My Friend Boo seems to have got right is an approach that works across such divisions, to resonate with millions of children. It's a great example of a European approach that works locally.

March 2010

Laura Cottey, Girlguiding UK:

Care for the environment has always been an important part of guiding. The project is a terrific example of an educational effort that talks to today’s multi-level learning environment. The series can be used as an educational tool in and outside of school – this is where children often do their learning. We hope that Boo reaches and motivates many young girls across Europe and perhaps a few adults too!